Choose Hex of Steel
Choose Hex of Steel if you want the Shared/Split Screen, Steam Leaderboards, and Shared/Split Screen PvP side of the pairing. Hex of Steel launched in 2020.
Hex of Steel vs Smoke and Steel
Hex of Steel and Smoke and Steel both land in Strategy, Indie on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam. Hex of Steel (2020) is 7 years older than Smoke and Steel (2027). Both support cooperative play. No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Smoke and Steel
Choose Smoke and Steel if you want a Simulation game with Stereo Sound and Surround Sound. On Steam, it's the newer release (2027) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Smoke and Steel launched in 2027.
Both Hex of Steel and Smoke and Steel sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Hex of Steel |  Smoke and Steel | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2027 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 24.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 96.6% positive (469 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | War Frogs Studio | Grenadier Games |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Hex of Steel (2020) is 7 years older than Smoke and Steel (2027).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Hex of Steel is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Smoke and Steel has no Deck rating yet.
Hex of Steel vs Smoke and Steel — FAQ
- Should I play Hex of Steel or Smoke and Steel first?
- If you want chronology, Hex of Steel (2020) came out before Smoke and Steel (2027). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Hex of Steel and Smoke and Steel similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Do both Hex of Steel and Smoke and Steel have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Hex of Steel ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; Smoke and Steel ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Does Hex of Steel run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Hex of Steel is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Smoke and Steel doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.